LAUREL HILL — The City Council wants to fill a seat left vacant by former city leader Clifton Hall, who resigned last month.

Laurel Hill residents interested in serving the city can submit a letter of interest to City Clerk Anita Miller before the Jan. 2 council meeting.

Hall said his resignation stems from the Nov. 7 council meeting, when city leaders declined engineer Charlie Bolen's reimbursement request for preparing Sunnyside Avenue repair and resurfacing plans.

Okaloosa County officials, who provided labor and equipment to repair the road, refused to use Bolen's plans because is not a Florida-certified engineer.

Hall and Councilwoman Betty Williamson voted in favor of reimbursing Bolen, but council members Larry Hendren, Willie Mae Toles and Johnny James did not.

Before Okaloosa County officials were involved, city leaders voted to use Bolen's plans, at Hall's suggestion.

The council appointed Hall in October 2012; he filled a council seat that remained vacant 18 months prior to his arrival.

Hall expressed discontent with city leaders in his letter of resignation.

"Since joining the city council, I have been getting more and more disappointed by the lack of professionalism, integrity and competence shown by the council," he wrote. "I feel that I can not longer be of service to the city of Laurel Hill."

Mayor Robby Adams did not want to comment on the Bolen situation, but he expressed gratitude for Hall's time on the council.

"I want to thank him for his service to the citizens of Laurel Hill, for sacrificing his personal time ... we appreciate what he did for the city," Adams said.